Puns in the Importance of Being Ernest

Wilde uses puns throughout this play, further the major pun is found inwardly the title. In The immenseness of Being Earnest, the pun, widely considered to be the lowest make believe of verbal wit, is rargonly just a play on words. The title, -The Importance of Being Earnest,- insinuates the importance of being h wizst and truthful, while playing on the male attend, Ernest. The pun in the title is a case in point. The earnest/Ernest joke strikes at the actually heart of Victorian nonions of reputability and duty. Gwendolen wants to marry a man called Ernest, and she doesnt cargon whether the man actually possesses the qualities that comprise earnestness.She is, after all, quick to forgive knaves deception. In embodying a man who is initially neither earnest nor Ernest, and who, through forces beyond his control, subsequently becomes both earnest and Ernest, Jack is a walking, breathing riddle and a complex symbol of Victorian hypocrisy. -Earnest closes serious or non-frivo lous. Many of the characters in the play spend their time trying to incline each other, and themselves, that they atomic number 18 laid-back-minded mint with strong morals and are admired in society.But Oscar Wilde presents them all in such a management that their interests and ethical ideas will seem ridiculous and trivial to around of the audience. -Ernest is a mans bring up. Much of the action of the play turns on whether Jack Worthingtons send-off name is Jack, or Ernest. Normally a mans initial base name is of no great importance in his life, but in the extremely wretched world of this play it is the most serious element of the plot. (Many people who do the play well never concreteise that we dont get a copacetic answer to this crucial question).So the pun is that the title of the play appears to mean The Importance of being a Serious Person but when we make up stars mind the play we realise that the real title is The Importance of having Ernest for a scratch line name. ex Algernon- You piddle forever told me it was Ernest. I have introduced you to both one as Ernest. You answer to the name of Ernest. You look as if your name was Ernest. You are the most earnest-looking person I ever saw in my life. We croupe find puns on the names of the other characters in the play deal in -Miss Prism The name is a pun on misprision, which has both definitions.The older is very dark, involving the concealment of official neglect, crime or possibly treason. The more in advance(p) meaning closely resembles the characters multiple misunderstandings. Chasuble The word chasuble is a vestment worn during services. This is, of course, appropriate given the nature of Chasubles profession. Chasubles name is also a pun because when said aloud can straits like chaseable. Regarding Miss Prism, he is in fact chase-able, which he had previously claimed he was not. turn I, tantrum 1, Algernon Anyone can play (piano) accurately but I play with wonderfu l expression This is a good thumbnail of Wildes philosophy of art. Wilde was heavily influenced by Walter Pater and the other aesthetes of the Victorian age.They believed art should reach itself only with its aesthetic qualities that art should exist for arts sake alone. Therefore, art should not be a straightforward representation of realityit should not be accurate, as Algernon would saybut rather it should be an extension of its creators esthetical styles. Hence, it should have wonderful expression. comport I, scene 1, Algernon If the lower orders dont set us a good example, what on earth is the use of them? We have a humorous depiction of class tensions here, where Lane, the butler, is given his fair share of eccentric sayings, and even Algernon seems to recognize that the lower clas has more power than they seem to. Act I, scene 1 (Algernon to Jack) Algernon You dont seem to realize that in married life three is company and two is none. And also in Act II, scene 1 ( bir d Bracknell when she finds out virtually the proposal of Jack) L. Bracknell An action should come on a young girl as a surprise, pleasant or unpleasant, as the case may be. Oscar is again driving force fun here at the institution of marriage, a practice adjoin by hypocrisy and absurdity. Aristocracy does not see marriage as an organ of love but rather as a dig for achieving a sustaining social stature. Act I, scene 1, Puns are also use during the conversation between Algernon and Jack in town. To accuse Algernon a prevaricator just like dentists who lies about cavities, Jack has said, -My dear Algy, you peach but as if you were a dentist.It is very vulgar to talk like a dentist when one isnt a dentist. It produces a false view. This is very funny because we can see that Jack is also fiction about his brother, but he is judging Algernon as if he is a very honest person. Later, when Jack reveals all his truth about the name Ernest, Algernon responds by saying Algernon What you really are is a Bunburyist. You are one of the most move Bunburyist I drive in. Besides now that I make love you to be a confirmed Bunburyist, I naturally want to talk to you about Bunburying.I want to tell you the rules. This is very funny, because Algernon is trying to be honest to Jack about advising him of an action that in fact is itself beguiling and false. The pun is when Algernon call ups that Jack deserves to be advised and learn the rules, since he rancid out to be a real Bunburyist, even the most advanced one. This is very ridiculous As if Jack was disc all oered to be a man with high principles or qualities. Act I, scene 1 Algernon You must be serious about it. I hate people who are not serious about meals.It is do shallow of them. This is also very ridiculous. What we expect is Algernon asking Jack to be serious with Gwendolen, about their first 10-minute meeting at Algernons. Actually, what surprises and makes us laugh is that Algernon immediately asks Ja ck to be serious about the food. They care about trivial things. But every instance food is mentioned from the Algernon opening discussion of wine with his servant, Lane, to the girls insult over tea and the guys climatic fight over muffins-is fraught with conflict.The fight over something as basic as food-something that every human being has a carnal need for (like Algernons wolfing mow of the cucumber sandwiches to madam Bracknell distress, Jacks settling for bread and butter, Algernons consumption of Jacks wine and muffins)- we suspect that the food fights are all puns for mocking their reduce sexual life expression and frustration in the face of outstandingly domineering women. Algernon. Picking up empty plate in horror. Good sphere of influence Lane Why are in that respect no cucumber sandwiches? I ordered them specially. Lane. Gravely. There were no cucumbers in the market this morning, sir.I went down twice. Algernon. No cucumbers Algernon. I am greatly distressed, A unt Augusta, about there being no cucumbers, not even for ready notes. Act I, scene 1 ( dame Bracknell to Algernon) Lady Bracknell Well, I must say Algernon that I think it is high time that Mr. Bunbury made up his mind whether he was going away to live or to die. This shilly-shallying with the questions is absurd. Nor do I in any way approve of the modern sympathy with invalids. I consider it morbidI should be much obliged if you would ask Mr. Bunbury from me to be kind ample not to have a relapse on Saturday for I intrust on you to arrange my music frameIt is difficult for Victorian people to understand an interest in something that is so far removed from their day-to-day pleasure, nor to sympathy. Also at the end when they both kill off their speculative alter egos or friends without much to-do, shows Victorian societys real values. The Victorian era did not value honesty, responsibility, or compassion for the under-privileged (neither Lady Bracknell nor Algernon exhibit muc h pity for Bunbury when he dies), but only style, money and aristocracy. It is appropriate that the pun in the sentence when L.B is talking about Bunury death as an appointment to be simply fixed or arranged, and the nonexistent character of Bunbury itself show how shallow are the Victorians real concerns. Act I, scene 2 Lady Bracknell starts her conversation by showing to be a very concerned and affectionate mother who wants his expectations meet her requires. The first question she asks is about smoking. Smoking is a harmful, money-consuming habit that needs to be killed, while we find a pun when L. Bracknell turns to be in choose of this habit of Jack. Besides, she considers it as an important occupation or a man. Lady Bracknell Do you smoke?Jack Well,yes,I must admit I smoke. Lady Bracknell I am glad to hear it. A man should always have an occupation of some kind. We face up with many humorous situations during L. Bracknells discuss with Jack in act 1, scene 2, qualification fun to the false, empty ideals of Victorian society, mocking the so-called virtue qualities of the hurrying class that pretends to be high-educated. The puns are when L. B gives an appreciation of Jacks being ignorant. She is pleased with Jacks ignorance, and the most absurd is that she pays high tributes to ignorance by comparing it to a tender exotic fruit. Lady Bracknell. A very good age to be married at.I have always been of opinion that a man who desires to get married should know either everything or nothing. Which do you know? Jack. After some hesitation. I know nothing, Lady Bracknell. Lady Bracknell. I am pleased to hear it. I do not approve of anything that tampers with natural ignorance. Ignorance is like a delicate exotic fruit touch it and the bloom is gone. The whole theory of modern didactics is radically unsound. Fortunately in England, at any rate, education produces no effect whatsoever. If it did, it would prove a serious danger to the amphetamine classes, an d probably lead to acts of violence in Grosvenor Square.